How toxic will Israel's unity government be for Palestinians?

Regional experts say Palestinians will continue to suffer from the Israeli occupation despite the change of guard in the government.

A combination picture shows Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz in Tel Aviv, Israel September 18, 2019 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Jordan Valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 15, 2019.
Reuters

A combination picture shows Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz in Tel Aviv, Israel September 18, 2019 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Jordan Valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 15, 2019.

On Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz agreed to form a unity government in Israel after a year-long political crisis in the country.

According to the agreement, Netanyahu, the current interim leader, will remain in the top office for 18 months and then Gantz will replace him and complete a three-year term. It also means that Israel’s longest-serving leader Netanyahu will remain in the office during his upcoming trials on corruption charges. 

In addition, Netanyahu is also likely to gain significant influence over judicial appointments as it was his key demand from his rival Gantz to accept the deal, while Gantz’s party will take control over some senior government ministries which account for half of all ministries including defence and foreign affairs.

While the coalition will serve as an ‘emergency government’ for the first six months and Gantz’s party will take control of the key ministries in the following period, experts are concerned about Palestinians’ situation as no laws will be introduced during the first initial period except the US President Trump’s so-called Middle East Plan, which includes annexing Jordan Valley, illegal Jewish settlements and other territories under occupation which have been violating international law.

"Very serious, challenging days"

“Despite the fact it seems that Jews tend to be more flexible in terms of foreign affairs in the initial six months, this unity government will apply the same principles when it comes to Palestine issue just like the previous Israeli governments,” Selim Han Yeniacun, told TRT World, who is an author of two books on Palestine-Israel conflict.

Adding that although Gantz seems to have control of the economy and agriculture, he doesn’t believe he will make much change in the occupation of the West Bank.

Also, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said “The formation of an Israeli annexation government means ending the two-state solution and the dismantling of the rights of the people of Palestine," on Twitter. 

A senior Palestine Liberation Organisation official, Hanan Ashrawi said that "very serious, challenging days" are expected while mentioning Trump’s close relationship with Netanyahu. 

According to Yeniacun, prior to the elections in the US in the upcoming autumn, Trump will possibly take further steps based on the occupation of the West Bank as he tries to show the impeccable relationship his country has with Israel.

Yeniacun also believes that there will be no further steps until that date despite Gantz having already approved Trump’s so-called plan. 

However, Gantz seems to be not allowing new settlements while annexing the existing one into its borders on the map, Yeniacun added. 

On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu could submit the approval form of these plans from July as the statement pointed out. 

US President Donald Trump’s so-called peace plan was rejected by Palestinian leaders at the beginning of its first announcement as it gives Israel full military control across their lands including all Jerusalem, Israeli settlements and even Palestinians. 

Both Prime Minister Netanyahu and his rival Gantz have been supporting Trump’s plan. Therefore, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh called the unity government an ‘Israeli annexation government’.

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